Electric lighting units



1962 T. J. THOMAS 3,061,715

ELECTRIC LIGHTING UNITS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 :r g 9 8rRIO) (D ID I [11 INVENTOR H THOMAS J'. THOMAS F ATTORNE BY A Oct. 30,1962 'r. J. THOMAS 3,061,715

ELECTRIC LIGHTING UNITS Filed Dec. 14, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORTHOMAS J. THOMAS ATTORNEYS United tates @atent 3,061,715 ELECTRHILIGHTING UNITS Thomas J. Thomas, Verona, NJ. (172 Rensselaer Road, EssexFells, NJ.) Filed Dec. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 859,439 6 Claims. (61. 240lil)This invention relates to flexible chains of electric lights and otherelectric devices; more particularly it relates to electric devices whichcan be readily connected directly together by means of male and femaleconnecting members forming laterally pivotable connections between suchunits to build up flexible chains of any desired length. Conductor inthe individual units permit current to be passed through the string-likeassembly to activate electric light-emitting means in each or toactivate other electric components therein.

Strings of interconnected lights of the type provided by this inventionhave many uses especially in the fields or" advertising and decorating.The new assembled strings of lights may be made into whatever lengthdesired simply by adding or subtracting units and they may be flexedinto various configurations. The interconnected units may be used, forexample, to decorate Christmas trees, illuminate advertising displays,spell out words or form outlines on signs and the like, and provide manyother specific lighting effects. Moreover, the units may be formed ofditferent sizes and colors, either with or without light-emitting means,so that many variations may be achieved in the arrangement of theassembly. Also, the units are designed to be inexpensively manufacturedand easily interconnected during assembly so as to appeal to a wideconsuming public.

Broadly stated, the new electric lighting unit adapted to form one of aninterconnected plurality of such units comprises a hollow body member ofdielectric material which may be light-pervious. Separate male andfemale connecting members are located on the body member and a pair ofseparate electrical conductors extends within the hollow body member.One end of at least one of the conductors is bared on the maleconnecting member and one end of at least the other of the conductors isbared in the female connecting member. Electric light-emitting means wihin the hollow body member may be operatively connected between the pairof conductors. The male and female connecting members are attachable torespective female and male connecting members on similar units with thebared end of the conductors in operative electrical contact with therespective bared ends of the conductors in the similar units.

In one embodiment, the electric light-emitting means comprises anelectric light bulb operatively connected between the pair ofconductors. In another embodiment, the electric light-emitting meanscomprises a coating of electroluminescent composition disposed over asubstantial portion of the inside surface of the hollow body member inoperative electrical contact with both of the conductors. The units maybe connected in parallel by providing that adjacent ends of bothconductors are bared on the male connecting member and the otheradjacent ends of both the conductors are bared in the female connectingmember. A series arrangement is made possible by having one end of onlyone of the conductors bared on the male connecting member and one end ofthe other of the conductors bared in the female connecting member.

The string-like assembly for the parallel circuit comprises, incombination, an interconnected plurality of the electric lighting unitsof theparallel type described. A pair of extended insulated wires arealso included and means are located at one end of the wires forconnecting them to a source of electric current. Socket means at theother end of the wires connect them to the respective ends of theconductors bared on the male connecting member at one end of theinterconnected plurality of units. A terminal unit in the femaleconnecting member at the opposite end of the interconnected plurality ofunits connects the ends of the conductors bared therein.

The assembly for the series circuit comprises, in combination, aninterconnected plurality of electric lighting units of the series typedescribed. A pair of extended insulated wires are provided whichincludes means at one end thereof to connect them to a source ofelectric current. Socket means at the other end of one of the wiresconnects it to the end of the conductor bared on the male connectingmember at one end of the interconnected plurality of electric lightingunits. A terminal unit at the opposite end of the other wire connects itto the end of the conductor bared in the female connecting member at theother end of the interconnected plurality of units.

Both the series and parallel assembly may include some units which donot contain electric light-emitting means. Also, the various units inthe assembly may be of different sizes and shapes. The light-emittingmeans used in the units of either assembly may be an electric light bulbconnected between the pair of conductors or a similarly connectedcoating of electroluminescent composition disposed over a substantialportion of the inside surface of the hollow body member.

The many advantages of this invention are made ap parent in thefollowing description of preferred embodiments thereof. The descriptionrefers to the accompanying drawings, wherein FIGS. 1a and 1b are anelevation partly in section of an assembly of the new lighting unitsconnected in parallel;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1a;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. la;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. la;

FIG. 5 is a section of an embodiment of the new lighting unit whereinthe light-emitting means is a coating of electroluminescent compositiondisposed over the inside surface of the body member;

FIG. 6 is an elevation partly broken away of an assembly of the newlighting units connected in series; and

FIG. 7 is an elevation partly in section of an assembly which includesvarious sizes of the new units, only some of which containlight-emitting means.

In the assembly shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, an electric lighting unit 10forms one of an interconnected plurality of such units along with units11 and 12. Many more units may be included in the assembly, of course,as desired. The unit 10 includes a body member 13 which is of adielectric light-pervious material such as glass or plastic. Thismaterial may be either transparent or translucent and may be tintedWhatever color desired.

The body member 13 is formed from two sections 15 and 16 which may bereleasably attached by means of an annular mating snap-joint 17concentrically disposed about their junction surfaces. The body 13 isshown in spherical form, though it may be of virtually any shape. Itssnap-joint 17 is defined by a circumferential flange 18 which isdecorative but not essential to the design. A cavity 19 is formed in thebody member 13. Extending outwardly from the section 15 i a maleconnecting member 21 which defines one narrower end portion 22 of thecavity 19. Diametrically opposite the male connecting member 21 is afemale connecting member 24 which extends outwardly from the section 16and defines an end portion 25 of the cavity 19. The end portion 25 ofthe cavity 19 is longer than the narrower portion 22.

The male connecting member 21 includes a neck portion 27 which is ofsubstantially rectangular lateral cross section (see FIG. 2.). Adjacentthe outer end of the neck portion 27', on opposite narrower sidesthereof, are a pair of electrical contact member 29 and 30. Thesecontact members include, respectively, head portions 31 and 32 bared onthe outside of the neck portion 27 and shank portions 33 and 34extending snugly through lateral holes in the neck portion into thenarrower portion 22 of the cavity 19. The contact members form what maybe described as an. elongated knob rounded at its opposite'ends andtransversely arranged on the end of the neck portion 27.

Extending through the entire length of the cavity 19 are two separatedelectrical conductors 36 and 37 formed from configured electricallyconductive strips. The conductors may be cemented to the cavity surface.

the conductors 36 and 37 are formed with holes 39, one of which is shownin FIG. 4. Short longitudinal slots 44 extend from diametrically opposededges of each hole 39. The holes 39 are slightly smaller than the shankAt .the outer end of the narrower portion 22 of the cavity,

portions 33 and 34 of the contact members 29 and 39 and the ends of theconductors 36 and 37 are forced over and secured to the shank portions33 and 34.

The slots 4e permit the holes 39 to expand slightly to provide a firmgrip on the shank portions.

The opposite end portions of the conductors 36 and 37 are formed withopposed arcuate socket elements 42 and 43 which, when in operativeposition, have substantially the same center point. As shown .in FIG. 2,these socket elements 42 and 43 lie in longitudinal slots 45 and 46respectively formed in the inside surface of the female connectingmember 24-. The strip from which the conductors 36 and 37 are formed isresilient so that the socket elements 42 and 43 tend to spring inwardly.The outer- :most end portions 47 and 58 of the conductors 36 and '37 areflared outwardly, as shown in FIG. la.

As shown in FIG. 3, elongated slits 5d and 51 are formed in theconductors 36 and 37 respectively adjacent the male connecting member21. These slits are adapted to receive and hold contact pins 53 and 5:!-which extend from an electric bulb 55. The size of the bulb 55 is suchand 6t similar to those on the ends of the conductors 36 and 37.Longitudinal slots 51 and 62 are also formed in the inside surface ofthe socket 58 to receive the socket elements 59 and 69. The wires 49 and49 extend through a bore M in the end of the socket device 58 and theexposed ends 66 and 67 of the wires are electrically connected to theinner ends of the socket elements 59 and 60. By this construction, thesocket device 58 is adapted to be snapped over the contact members 29and 30 on the male connecting member 21 (at the end of theinterconnected plurality of units) in non-rotatable pivotal electricalcontact with the socket elements 59 and 69.

As shown in H6. 1b, a terminal unit 69 is provided at the opposite endof the interconnected plurality of units. The terminal unit includes abody member formed from two releasably interconnected hollow sections 71and 72 of the same material as the body members of FIG. la. The section71 is identical to the section 15 of FIG. 1a and thus includes a maleconnecting member 73 which is adapted to fit into a female connectingmember 74 on the last unit of the plurality of connected units. Theother section 72 can be joined by a snap-joint '74 to the section 7?. toclose the open end of the section 7 1. Within are conductors 75 and 76which are similar to the portions of the conductors 36 and 37 in thesection 15 of FIG. la. However, the conductors 75 and 76 do not extendthrough into the adjoining section '72. A bulb 73 having pins 79 and Stis mounted in slots in the conduc- 1 tors '75 and '76.

that it can fit between the conductors 36 and 37. The

pins 53 and 54 of the bulb may be forced into place in the slits 5t) and51 of the conductors when the sections 15 and 16 of the body member areseparated.

The dimensions of the male connecting'member 21 and female connectingmember 24 are 'such that a simi lar male connecting member 21' on theadjacent unit 11 may be forced between the flared ends 47 and 48 of theconductors 36 and 37 and into the socket elements 42 and 43. In thatposition (which is shown in FIGS- la and 2), head portions 3il'and 32 ofthe contact members on the male connecting member 21 are gripped betweenthe socket elements 42 and 43 in electrical contact therewith; Rotationof the male connecting member 21' relative to the female connectingmember 24 about the longitudinal axis of the cavity 19 is preventedby'the side wall-s of the slots 45 and 46 since the side walls serve asstop means limiting rotative movement of the head portions 31 and 32.Considerable pivotal movement of the unit 11 laterally relative to thecavity axis of the unit 10 between the male connecting member 21 and theinside string of units can be flexed into various configurations .ispermitted by this connec 'fion since thereris clearance though they arein non-rotatable attachment with one another about their respectivecavity axes.

To conduct electric current through the interconnected units 1012, apair of extended insulated wires 49 and 49' are provided which terminateat one end in a conventional plug 55. This plug 55 is'adapted to befitted into into a wall's'ocket 57. At the opposite endof the wires .anordinary transformer56 which, in turn, maybe plugged Referring now toFIG. 5, a modified unit 8ft is shown in which an electroluminescentmaterial is used instead of an incandescent bulb. The unit 84 is made upof two attachable sections 31 and 82 of dielectric light-pervicusmaterial. The former includes a male connecting member 83 and associatedcontact members 84 and 85 exactly as in the previous embodiment.However, the section 82 includes a female connecting member 86 which isformed on its inside surface with two opposed sockets 87 and 83 adaptedto receive the respective contact members on the adjoining unit innon-rotatable pivotal attachment therewith. The female connecting member86 also has two diametrically opposed longitudinal slots 39 (one ofwhich is visible in FIG. 5) extending inwardly from its outer end.Hence, the female connecting member 86 is of split construction so thatit is adapted to snap over the contact members on the adjoining unit.

Within the male connecting member 83, two conductors 9i and 91 aremounted as, for example, by being cemented in place. Each of theconductors 9d and 91 is adapted to fit over the respective inner ends ofthe contact members 84 and 85 as in the previous embodiment; At theiropposite ends, however, the conductors 9t) and 91 terminate immediatelyinside the hollow unit and are formed with configured spring pprtions 92and 3 respectively which forcethemselves against the adjacent insidesurface of the section 81.

There are three coatings applied about the greater part of the insidesurface of both of the sections 81 and 82. The first coating immediatelyadjoining the sections 81 and 82 is a transparent conductive coating 94,such as a tin oxide solution. The coating-9e'underlies the springportion 92 of the conductor 9%, extends to and covers the socket 37formed in, the female connecting member 86, but does not underlie thespring portion 93 of the with either of the spring portions 92 and 93nor does it extend into the female connecting member 86. Thiselectroluminescent material may be a transparent phosphor-plastic layerof the many types commercially available which are adapted to emitconsiderable light when activated by a sufficient potential difference.

The third coating is another conductive layer 96, such as a coating ofaluminum-bearing material, which makes contact with the spring member 93of the conductor 91 and extends into and covers the socket 38 in thefemale connecting member 36. This inner conductive layer 96 is alsodisposed over substantially the entire inside surface of the sections 31and 82 but does not make contact with the other conductor 90 nor does itextend to or cover the other socket 87. Consequently, when current ispassed through a string of units of the type shown in FIG. 5, apotential difierence is established between the inner and outerconductive layers 94' and 96 respectively thereby providing thenecessary excitation for the electroluminescent material 95 disposedtherebetween. Virtually the entire inside surface of the unit 30 iscaused to emit light by these means.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6 in which theassembled lighting units are arranged in series with one another. Onlytwo of units 93 and 93 are shown in the drawing though as many asdesired may be included. The unit 98 includes a body member formed fromtwo releasably attached sections 99 and which define a cavity 101. Amale connecting member 102 extends from the section 09. The maleconnecting member 102 is similar to that described in reference to FIG.1a except that it includes only one contact member 103. Diametricallyopposite the head of the contact member 103 is an integral roundedprotuberance 104 which, with the contact member 103, defines anelongated knob on the end of the male connecting member 102.

Within the cavity 101, a pair of conductors 105 and 106 are slotted toreceive an electric bulb exactly as in the previous embodiment. However,only the conductor 105 extends completely through the unit 98 to connectat one end to the contact member 103. The other conductor 106 terminatesas shown short of the outer end of the male connecting member 102.Socket elements 107 and 108 are formed on the other end of theconductors 105 and 106 within a female connecting member 109 extendingfrom the section 100. Thus, the female connecting member 109 is adaptedto receive a male connecting member 102' on the adjacent unit 98'.

To provide the series circuit, the units 98 and 98 should be attachedwith the contact member 103' on the male connecting member 102' engagingthe socket element 108. In this manner, current may be carried from theconductor 105 through the bulb shown, and thence to the conductor 106'.

A pair of extended insulated wires 110 and 111 are provided in thisassembly of units. Plug means 112 are included at one end of these wiresfor insertion into a wall socket 113. The insulated wire 110 terminatesin a socket device 114 in which are located socket elements 115 and 116as described in reference to FIG. la. A bared end portion 117 of thewire 110 is electrically connected to the socket element 115 so that,when the male connecting member 102 on the unit 98 is fitted into thesocket 114, current may pass to the contact member 103. At the outermostend of the assembled string of units, a male terminal unit 118 isattached to the end of the insulated wire 111. A bared end portion 119of the wire 111 extends into the terminal unit 118 and electricallycontacts the shank of a contact member 120. Diametrically opposite thehead of the contact member 120 is a protuberance 121 which, togetherwith the contact member 120, forms an elongated knob which isdimensioned to fit within the female connecting member in the last unit98' of the string. The head of the contact member 120 should engage theconductor 101' in the unit 98' so that current 6 can flow from theconductor 106 to the insulated wire 111. The series circuit is thuscompleted in this manner.

A11 electroluminescent composition may also be employed as thelight-emitting means in the units of the embodiment of FIG. 6, ifdesired. If such is the case, the bulbs are removed and the coatings areapplied as described in reference to FIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 7, another assembled string of the new units isshown in which two larger units 122 and 123 are interspaced by smallerunits 124. A unique lighting effect may be achieved by locating bulbs125 only in the larger units 122 and 123. The smaller units 12 1 wouldthen differ in construction from the larger units only in that theywould include conductors 126 and 127 which are not adapted to receivelight-emitting means. Otherwise, the circuitry of the assembly may beeither in parallel (as shown) or in series in accordance with theembodiments previously discussed. Further variations in the lightingeffects of the assembly of FIG. 7 may be provided by forming the variousunits, both large and small, of different colors of tinted translucentmaterial or of different shapes.

I claim:

1. An electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnectedplurality of such units comprising a body member of light-perviousdielectric material having a cavity formed therein which extendscompletely therethrough, a selectively releasable male connecting memberextending outwardly from said body member and defining one end portionof said cavity, said male connecting member comprising a neck portionand an elongated knob rounded at its opposite ends and transverselyarranged on the end of the neck portion, a selectively releasable femaleconnecting member extending outwardly fro-m said body member anddefining the other end portion of said cavity, said female connectingmember comprising a sleeve and opposed resilient socket elements in thesleeve adapted to snap around the ends of a knob similar to that on saidmale connecting member, a pair of separate electrical conductorsextending within said cavity, one end of at least one of said conductorsbeing bared on one rounded end of the knob on said male connectingmember and one end of at least the other of said conductors being baredon one socket element in said female connecting member, electriclight-emitting means within said cavity operatively connected betweensaid pair of conductors, said male and female connecting members beingreleasably attachable to respective female and male connecting memberson similar units in pivotal attachment therewith with the bared ends ofsaid conductors in operative electrical contact with respective baredends of the conductors in the similar units.

2. An electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnectedplurality of such units comprising a body member formed from twocojoined sections, releasable attachment means for joining said sectionstogether, said body member being of translucent dielectric material andhaving a cavity formed therein which extends completely therethrough, aselectively releasable male connecting member extending outwardly fromone section of said body member and defining one end portion of saidcavity, said male connecting member comprising a neck portion integralwith said body member and an elongated knob rounded at its opposite endsand transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion, an electricalcontact extending through said neck portion into said cavity and formingat least one of the rounded ends of said knob, a selectively releasablefemale connecting member extending outwardly from the other section ofsaid body member diametrically opposite said male connecting member anddefining the other end portion of said cavity, said female connectingmember comprising a sleeve portion integral with said body member andopposed resilient socket elements in the sleeve portion adapted to snaparound the ends of a knob similar to that on said male connectingmember,

necting member and one end of at least the other of said conductorsforming one socket element in said female connecting member, electriclight-emitting means within said cayity operatively connected betweensaid pair of conductors, said male and female connecting members beingreleasably attachable to respective female and male connecting memberson similar units in pivotal attachment therewith with said conductors inoperative electrical contact with respective conductors in the similarunits.

3. An electric lighting unit adapted to form one of an interconnectedplurality of such units comprising a body member formed from twocojoined sections, releasable attachment means for joining said sectionstogether, said body member being of translucent dielectric material andhaving a cavity formed therein which extends completely therethrough, aselectively releasable male connecting member extending outwardly fromone section of said body member and defining one end portion of saidcavity, said male connecting member comprising aneck portion integralwith said body member and an elongated knob rounded at its opposite endsand transversely arranged on the end of the neck portion, a pair ofelectrical contacts extending through said neck portion into said cavityand forming the rounded ends of said knob, a selectively releasablefemale connecting member extending outwardly from the other section ofsaid body member diametrically opposite said male connecting member anddefining the other end portion of said cavity,

said female connecting member comprising a sleeve portion integral withsaid body member and a pair of opposed resilient socket elements in thesleeve portion adapted to snap around the ends of a knob similar to thaton said male connecting member, stop means in said female connectingmember for preventing axial rotation of the knob held therein, a pair ofseparate electrical conductors extending through said cavity, one end ofsaid conductors'being electrically connected to the respective contactmembers on said male connecting memher and the other end of saidconductors forming the respective socket elements' in said femaleconnecting member, electric light-emitting means within said cavityoperatively connected between said pair of conductors, said male andfemale connecting members being releasably attachable to respectivefemale and male connecting members on similar units in non-rotatablepivotal attachment therewith with said conductors in operativeelectrical contact with respective conductors in the similar units.

4. In combination, an interconnected plurality of electric lightingunits according to claim 3,"a pair of extended insulated wires, means atone end of said wires for connecting themto a source of electriccurrenLsocket means at the other end of said Wires connecting them tothe'respective contacts on the male connecting member at one end of saidinterconnected plurality of electric lighting units, and a terminal unitelectrically connecting the socket elements in the female connectingmember at the opposite end of said interconnected plurality of elec triclighting units, said terminal member including a hollow body member oftranslucent dielectric material and light-emitting means within saidhollow body member operatively connected to the socket elements in theadjacent. female connecting member.

5. An electric lighting unit'adapted to form one of an interconnectedplurality of such units comprising a substantially spherical body memberformed from two cojoined sections, releasable attachment means forjoining said sections together, said body member being of translucentdielectric material and having a cavity formed therein which extendscompletely therethrough, a selectively releasable male connectingmember'extending outwardly from one section of said body member anddefining one end portion of said cavity, said male connecting membercomprising a neck portion integral with said body member and anelongated knob rounded at its opposite ends and transversely arranged onthe end of the neck portion, an electrical contact extending throughsaid neck portion into said cavity and forming one of the rounded endsof said knob, a selectively releasable female connecting memberextending outwardly from the other section of said body memberdiametrically opposite said male connecting member and defining theother end portion of said cavity, said female connecting membercomprising a sleeve portion integral with said body member and opposedresilient socket elements in the sleeve portion adapted to snap aroundthe ends of a knob similar to that on said male connecting member, stopmeans in said female connecting member for preventing axial rotation ofthe knob held therein, a pair of separate electrical conductorsextending within said cavity, one of said conductors being electricallyconnected to the contact member on said male connecting member and oneend of the other of said conductors forming one socket ele- V ment insaid female connecting member, electric lightemitting means within saidcavity operatively connected between said pair of conductors, said maleand female 7 connecting members being releasably attachable torespective female and male connecting members on similar units innon-rotatable pivotal attachment therewith with said conductors inoperative electrical contact with respective conductors in the similarunits.

6. In combination, an interconnected plurality of electric lightingunits according to claim 5, a pair of extended insulated wires, means atone end of said wires for connecting them to a source of electriccurrent, socket means at the other end of one of said wires connectingit to the end of said conductor bared on the male connecting member atone end of said interconnected plurality of electric lighting units, anda terminal unit at the other end of the other of said wires connectingit to the end of said conductor bared in the female connecting member atthe opposite end of said interconnected plurality of electric lightingunits.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

